Civil War Generals

The Civil War generals who led their men onto the major battlefields of the war reflected a range of virtues and vanities that affected the war's outcome. In the main, most were courageous; some too cautious and others too aggressive. Many were political appointees, and the few who were not competent, were quickly replaced. Nevertheless, even the best tacticians, fearless leaders, were capable of mistakes that cost lives and turned the tide of battle against them.

We feature, below, the Civil War generals and leaders, most responsible for the strategies and tactics of each battle. Although, other officers were involved in the elements of the battle, they served in secondary commands, significant, but not reported below.